Preparation of sulfonic-functionalized graphene oxide as ion-exchange material and its application into electrochemiluminescence analysis.

Graphene oxide (GO) obtained from chemical oxidation of flake graphite was derivatized with sulfonic groups to form sulfonic-functionalized GO (GO-SO(3)(-)) through four sulfonation routes: through amide formation between the carboxylic group of GO and amine of sulfanilic acid (AA-GO-SO(3)(-)), aryl diazonium reaction of sulfanilic acid (AD-GO-SO(3)(-)), amide formation between the carboxylic group of GO and amine of cysteamine and oxidation by H(2)O(2) (CA-GO-SO(3)(-)), and alkyl diazonium reaction of cysteamine and oxidation by H(2)O(2) (CD-GO-SO(3)(-)). Results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectrospectrocopy showed that -SO(3)(-) groups were attached onto GO. Thermo gravimetric analysis showed that derivatization with sulfonic groups improved thermo stability of GO. X-ray diffraction results indicated that GO-SO(3)(-) had more ordered π-π stacking structure than the original GO. GO-SO(3)(-) and cationic polyelectrote, poly (diallyldimethylammoniumchloride) (PDDA) were adsorbed at indium tin oxide (ITO) glass surface through layer-by-layer assembling to form (GO-SO(3)(-)/PDDA)(n)/ITO multilayers. After tris-(2,2'-bipyridyl) ruthenium (II) dichloride (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)) was incorporated into the multilayers, the obtained Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)/(GO-SO(3)(-)/PDDA)(n)/ITO electrodes can be used as electrochemiluminescence sensors for detection of organic amine with high sensitivity (limit of detection of 1 nM) and stability.